Chicken with Rice

You can make arroz con pollo, the Caribbean specialty, fast or slow. For weeknights, go with the stripped-down variation. But when you have a little time—and you don’t need much—make the full-fledged version, with bacon for smokiness, real chicken stock for extra flavor, and saffron for best color and complexity.

If you don’t have stock, don’t worry too much. Since the chicken and vegetables are cooking in the liquid, the dish will taste good even if you make it with water.